ἐπικρατέω

ἐπικρᾰτ-έω ([dialect] Aeol. [suff] ἐπικρᾰτ-κρετέω prob. in Alc.82),

A rule over, c. dat.,

νήεσσιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι Il.10.214

;

νήσοισιν Od.1.245

: abs., have or hold power,

εὖτ' ἂν μηκέτ' ἐπικρατέωσιν ἄνακτες 17.320

, cf. 14.60, Archil.69.

II. prevail in battle, be victorious, ἐπικρατέουσί περ ἔμπης [to them] though they are victorious as it is, Il.14.98, cf. Ar.Lys.767; ἐ. ἢ ἀπόλλυσθαι conquer or die, Hdt.7.104; ἐ. τῇ

στάσι Id.1.173

; ἐ. τὰ πλείω τοῦ πολέμου gain the advantage in most points in the war, Th.4.19.

2. freq. c.gen., prevail over, get the mastery of an enemy,

ἐ. μάχῃ τῶν Γελῴων Hdt.7.155

;

τῶν ἐχθρῶν Id.8.94

, Lys.34.4;

τῆς τινων πονηρίας Id.22.16

; ἐ. αὐτῶν (-οῦ codd.) παρὰ τῷ βασιλέϊ, in a suit at law, Hdt.4.65;

ἰσχυρὰ ἐ. ἀνδρὸς Ἀνάγκη Philet.8

;

ἐ. τοῦ πυρός Hdt.1.86

;

γήρως Pl.Lg.752a

; ὑμῶν -ήσω τῷ

κοάξ Ar.Ra.267

.

3. rarely c. acc., master, conquer, τὰς τῆς φύσεως

ἁμαρτίας Isoc.1.52

;

δύο βασιλέας D.C.36.16

:—[voice] Pass., -ηθεῖσα (sc. ἡ δεξιά), in left-handed persons, Sor.1.111.

4. c. gen., become master of,

τῶν πραγμάτων Hdt.4.164

;

τῆς θαλάσσης Id.1.17

,al.; τῶν πολίων, τῶν νεῶν, Id.6.32,115; τῆς ἀναγκαίου τροφῆς, τῆς ἀναβάσεως, Th.1.2,7.42;

τῶν ἐρώτων Pi.N.8.5

, etc.

b. to be in possession of, [οἰκίας]PRyl.160.3 (i A.D.), etc.

5. generally, prevail, be superior,

πλήθεϊ Hdt.5.2

;

πολὺ τῷ ναυτικῷ Th.2.93

;

τὰ πλείω τῷ πεζῷ Id.7.63

;

κατὰ θάλασσαν X.HG7.1.6

: c. inf., they carried the point that . . , Th. 5.46;

ἐπεκράτουν μὴ δέχεσθαι τοὺς Ἀθηναίους Id.6.74

.

b. metaph., prevail,

τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἦθος ἐπεκράτει Pl.Criti.121b

;

τὸ δίκαιον Men. Epit.16

; τὸ ψῦχος, τὸ ὑγρόν, Arist.Mete.347b26, MM1210a20; τὸ

ὄνομα Plb.2.38.1

;

ὁ λόγος D.S.5.62

;

ὁ τραχὺς ἦχος Phld.Po.994.33

.

6. c. part., ἐ. διαιροῦντες succeed in keeping it open, Arist. GA773a29.